Monday, May 29, 2006

If you thought Pele Mesta just gave great parties, think again. She was only the third women ever named to a diplomatic post by the US and was such a committed feminist that she changed her name from Pearl to Perle as a political statement. She was the model for the lead character in Irving Berlin's Broadway play and subsequent movie "Call Me Madam."

Monday, May 22, 2006

In addition to displays, the museum offers a research library and archives and is working on offering an aviation educational program. The museum was named for the 99 women pilots who signed the museum’s initial charter. For more, click here.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Leading up to the Centennial celebration, The Oklahoman is running profiles on noteable Oklahomans. On November 27, 2006, they ran a story about Anna Korn (1869-1965). She founded the Oklahoma Women’s Legislative Council, lobbied for women to get the right to vote and serve on juries plus urged the Legislature to establish a separate ward for women at the state penitentiary. She also founded the Oklahoma Memorial Association – the precursor to the Oklahoma Heritage Association which maintains the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Go Anna!

Friday, May 19, 2006

The Oklahoma Uncrowned Queens Project is seeking stories of ordinary black women in Oklahoma who impacted their communities. Some women already profiled include Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Betty Mason, Janetta Chapple, Ruth Faine, Mazola McKerson and Clara Luper. The collected stories will by published in a book, Uncrowned Queens: African-American Women Community Builders of Oklahoma, 1907-2007. Peggy Brooks-Bertram and Barbara Seals Nevergold started collecting histories of black women in 1999. Obtain a nomination form and read biographies of Oklahoma women at their website.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Suzanne H. Schrems, PhD. of Norman has written a fascinating book about the role of women in early Oklahoma politics. She covers the far left, woman's suffrage, conservatives, even the role of women in the Ku Klux Klan.One chapter is dedicated to the only woman from Oklahoma to serve in the US Congress -- Alice Mary Robertson. (Hint: I doubt many of us would vote for her if she ran for Congress today.) At Amazon.com, look for Across the Political Spectrum: Oklahoma Women in Politics in the Early Twentieth Century, 1900-1930(Lincoln, NE: Writers Club Press, 2001)

Sunday, May 07, 2006

The Institute for Women's Policy Research's study reports on how Oklahoma women rank in five areas: political participation, employment and earnings, social and economic autonomy, reproductive rights and health and well-being.

Trish Long, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Women’s Studies Program at Oklahoma State University serves on their 35 member National Advisory Committee for The Status of Women in the States Project.

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Oklahoma City University will hold The Legal Affair Dinner and Awards Gala on the evening of Thursday, May 18 at the Okahoma City Golf and Country Club. To be honored are Marjorie Downing (Professor of Law 1972-1997) and Nancy I Kenderline (Professor of Law 1977-2005. Also receiving awards are The Honorable Reta M. Strubhar (Marian P. Opala Award for Lifetime Achievement in Law), The Honorable Patricia D. MacGuigan (Distinguished Lawe Alumna), M. Susie Magaw-Viele (Law Alumna Association Award for Community Service), Keri C. Prince (Outstanding Young Alumna) and Scoggins & Cross, PLLC (Law Firm Mark of Distinction). Congratulations to the honorees. Proceeds will help to endow scholarships in the names of Professors Downing and Kenderline.

Monday, May 01, 2006

After three plus years with N.E.W. Leadership which, along with Cindy Simon Rosenthal, she founded and ran at OU, Jean took a hiatus to travel to Kenya twice with United Methodist church sponsored mission teams. She was team leader for the second team that built a library for deaf children. She now does this weblog plus the Oklahoma Women's Network website.Want to help - offer input - correct mistakes? Leave a comment here or go to her website and click on CONTACT (bottom of page) to contact her.